<figure><img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/2022111414110/63723c649c7e80680e0c9619jpeg.jpg" alt="" width="2266" height="1536"/><figcaption>ALL PHOTOS: SUMAN NEPALI</figcaption></figure>Manushi Yami Bhattarai, daughter of Maoist leaders Baburam Bhattarai and <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/review/nepals-maoist-revolution-from-the-inside/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Hisila Yami</a>, followed her family’s footsteps into politics as a student at Tribhuvan University, where she was secretary of the All Nepal National Independent Student Union. She has an MPhil from Jawaharlal Nehru University in New Delhi and has been nominated by the Maoist Centre to contest the November election from Kathmandu-7. Excerpts of interview with Manushi Yami Bhattarai: Nepali Times: How is your campaign going so far?Manushi Yami Bhattarai: We have been discussing our platform and plan to improve and strengthen our collapsing public institutions, which have been taken over by a handful of people within the political parties. They have fallen prey to the much stronger party structures. Constitutionally-guaranteed rights have not been upheld. Our health and educational institutions are near collapse. The corruption watchdog has been rendered ineffective by political interference.  We need to restructure and empower these institutions from the policy-making level, for which we need effective legislature.Once our health, education, and employment sectors are strengthened, the economy will run these institutions, and I am aware of the role we need to play to strengthen the economy in the first place. Also on my agenda is environment-conscious development at a time when we have been unsustainably exploiting our natural resources to advance development. The next generation will have to pay for it with frequent and catastrophic natural disasters.We want to introduce laws that address conflicts of interest. Nepal’s political leaders are in business with interest groups who want to commercialise and privatise the education and health sectors, which is why they do not talk about strengthening public schools and hospitals. There is no one in Parliament to stand for universal healthcare and education, and there will be no one unless we stop people with connections in private healthcare and education.I attended public school in Delhi from elementary to high school and was able to become a gold medalist at Tribhuvan University on the strength of my academic background. I want to send my child to a public school, and take them to Kanti Hospital when they are sick.Why don't we trust or take ownership of public institutions? When we choose to employ services of public institutions, we will be able to identify problems within those institutions first-hand, and look at issues regarding manpower and infrastructure with more sensitivity because they directly affect our well-being and of people around us.What are your priorities on infrastructure?It is a given for leaders to promise what sells. But political leadership means being ten steps ahead of the public in terms of ideas and strategies, and should not just pander to the masses. Populism can be a problem. I am determined to address the basic needs Nepalis face. But what we have been unable to do until now is make Nepalis aware of the roles and responsibilities each level of government has, from the local to the federal.But while it is important to address the immediate needs and the infrastructural development of Kathmandu-7, it is also important to discuss the country’s economic, foreign, health and education policies which have wider-reaching and long-term importance. It will be my responsibility to solve problems at the local level as well as speak to policies that have far-reaching consequences.<img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/2022111414110/63723c689c7e80680e0c961ajpeg.jpg" alt="" width="2304" height="1536">There is speculation that Baburam Bhattarai swapped his Gorkha constituency with Pushpa Kamal Dahal to secure Maoist support for your election candidacy? That has nothing to do with my candidacy. If I was looking for an advantage, it would have been much easier and safer for me to run from Gorkha. Kathmandu is a challenging constituency even with support from the coalition.But the announcement of your candidacy came out of the blue. How long have you been thinking about running?This process has not been sudden. I have been in politics for a long time, having been involved in organisation and social movements since I was 15 years old. I worked for student welfare when I was at All Nepal National Independent Student Union. I have the experience and knowledge of the responsibilities that come with being both a representative and the opposition. This is the right time to put my academic, social and political experiences to the test and take it to Parliament.There is a challenge in that most Nepali voters align themselves with their political beliefs and ideology and vote along party lines. However, there are now large numbers of voters disillusioned with Nepal’s political mechanism, who are frustrated with the lack of delivery, and will vote for candidates and issues over ideology. Similarly, a larger number of Nepalis are not affiliated with any party and are aware of the need to vote for competent and qualified candidates regardless of party. That is why I am optimistic about my chances.The number of women candidates in the direct ballot is less than 10%. Yes, no matter which political party, it is difficult for women to even get selected as candidates. And when women are given tickets, they are given constituencies where they have little chance of winning. It is also more challenging for women to secure election funding. Our social structure also makes it difficult for women to stand in elections while raising children and juggling family responsibilities.A large part of the public is concerned with image rather than agenda, choosing to pay attention to how female candidates present themselves over what their election platform is. Women are thought of in relation to their husbands and families rather than as individuals.Has having parents who are involved in politics worked for or against you? On the one hand, it has been easier for me to get recognised and have a platform because of who my parents are. On the other hand, I am seen as an extension of my parents before people are willing to consider that I am a separate existence with my own abilities and agenda. In that sense, it has been both an advantage and a disadvantage.My parents received a good education and chose to enter politics because they always believed it was a way to pure service. Had they chosen a different profession, they would probably have had different financial circumstances.My parents never imposed their opinions or demands on me. They never expected me to follow a set path. I was never pressured to join politics -- in fact, they were always clear that politics would not get me financial benefits, and that I should pursue other interests if that was my goal. But seeing them inspired me to take this up.I have learned from my family that one must never exploit or take advantage of their platform. They have always been aware of the responsibilities, and have always been connected to everyday Nepalis. I have also learned from them not to let victory feed my ego and not let defeat discourage or scare me.Read Also: <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/review/nepals-maoist-revolution-from-the-inside/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Nepal's Maoist revolution from the inside</a>, Sahina Shrestha<img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/2022111414110/63723c6b9c7e80680e0c961bjpeg.jpg" alt="" width="2304" height="1536">Does that mean that considering the criticism, especially on social media, for being the daughter of political leaders you have considered another like of work? I am not very active on social media. Outrage-filled discourse on social media has become a global culture. I see discourse on social media as transient — they can lionise an individual one day and vilify the same person the next. So I don't take it too seriously and have chosen not to engage with it. I prefer to meet and interact with people directly. Throughout such interactions, whether people choose to engage with me in anger or frustration, or love, I will accept it.How will your leadership be different from the previous generation?The previous generation of political leadership had to replace an autocratic, undemocratic, and centralised political system with a federal democratic republic. It is now up to our generation to stand on the shoulders of past leadership and focus on people and issues that affect them directly: education, healthcare, and employment. We must strengthen our economic foundations so that we can sustain our still-nascent political institutions and protect what we have achieved over the years.Things have not turned out as I hoped. In the beginning, building a Constitution took precedence over representing the people, and while we focused on policy, we did not address issues that Nepalis faced in their daily lives. Now we have learned our lesson. As party cadres, we relied too much on our leaders to solve the problems, but we now want those leadership positions ourselves so that we can help people directly. You cannot win elections if you are unable to challenge the existing leadership.What are the challenges of being a full-time politician?I came into politics at a time when the 'power' of the leadership of our party was declining. I came into politics while we were under siege.It is challenging to manage a household, both financially and logistically, when one is involved in politics full-time. It is especially challenging now that I have a two-year-old child who will have to start school soon and will have healthcare and childcare needs. So, I have started teaching. My husband was also in politics, but now he is looking for a job. I wonder how other people involved in mainstream politics run their households, and what their sources of income are.What will your campaign message be to voters in your constituency?My life and work have always been transparent. It's time to find solutions to problems that we have felt have not been addressed all our lives. And if we make it to Parliament, we will address those problems, in a way that people feel its impact immediately. But we will also need to address issues that will affect Nepalis in the long run and to make those changes we will need some time.Read more: <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/banner/nepals-parties-forge-new-pre-poll-alliances/">Nepal’s parties forge new pre-poll alliances</a>, Shristi Karki

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A daughter also rises

<figure><img width="1200" height="700" src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221114111120/637216e59c7e80680e0ba9bcjpeg.jpg" alt=""/><figcaption>Mina Biswakarma is going door to door campaigning for chair of Raghuganga Rural Municipality with her 3-year-old son strapped to her back. When Gau Bahadur touched Mina’s feet with his head to bless her campaign, she was overcome with tears. This photo was widely shared in Nepal’s social media this week. Photos: RIM KATUWAL</figcaption></figure>With just a week to go for <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/latest/coalition-collision/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Nepal’s local elections</a>, 28-year-old Mina Biswakarama is on the campaign trail with a three-year-old son strapped to her back.She is a candidate from the Maoist-Centre party for chair of Raghuganga Rural Municipality of <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/banner/the-clouds-are-lifting-below-dhaulagiri/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Myagdi district</a>, and is going door to door asking for votes not just from her own Dalit community but from others as well.“I have suffered the same problems you have, I am going to try to solve them if you vote for me,” she says simply as she reaches the remote village of Phuldanda. <figure><img width="1280" height="798" src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221114111120/637216e89c7e80680e0ba9bdjpeg.jpg" alt=""><figcaption> </figcaption></figure>Biswakarma knows the problems of her community well. Aside from poverty, she has experienced <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/here-now/caste-aside-dalits-battle-sitgma/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">discrimination because of her caste</a>, as well as for being a woman. Her party wanted to change that with the bullet, but she now seeks to uplift her people through the ballot.  Mina was just six years old when the Maoist launched their armed struggle. Myagdi was the scene of <a href="http://archive.nepalitimes.com/article/nation/remembering-battle-of-Beni,3213" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">one of the fiercest battles in 2004</a> when about 200 people were killed in the attack on the nearby district capital of Beni.“There are layers and layers of problems we face in the village. There is discrimination against Dalits for being untouchable, there is domestic violence, us women have to wait for hours at the village tap for a bucket of water,” she says.“I saw no progress after the last local election five years ago, so I decided to stand for municipal chair myself,” she adds.Mina lost her mother as a child, and was in Grade 10 when the family married her off. She then left her studies and volunteered in the local Mother’s Group where she earned the respect of peers for her commitment to social reform.Despite being involved in community projects, she found that society’s problems are structural and decided that she had to get into politics to bring about real change for the poor, the downtrodden and women in her constituency.Mina’s chances for winning are good. Most of the nearly 14,000 voters in Raghuganga are Dalit, and because of the outmigration of men, more than 55% of the voter’s list is made up of women. Candidates from the other parties are <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/here-now/purchasing-power/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">supported by local traders and businesses</a>, and spend lavishly on elaborate public meetings with free lunches for attendees.  <figure><img width="640" height="853" src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221114111120/637216eb9c7e80680e0ba9bejpeg.jpg" alt=""><figcaption> </figcaption></figure>Mina Biswakarma’s funding is completely crowdsourced with small donations from her community.“I don’t even have money to hire a jeep and loudspeakers or to print posters, so I just walk door to door as much as I can,” says Mina who is not deterred by villagers who make fun of her simple campaign style.She has a list of priorities if she gets elected. Top on it is <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/banner/this-is-how-to-upgrade-nepals-rural-health/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">affordable healthcare</a>, especially for women, and to help raise living standards of the poorest and most under-served families. <figure><img width="1080" height="751" src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221114111120/637216ee9c7e80680e0ba9bfjpeg.jpg" alt=""><figcaption> </figcaption></figure>As she walks past elegant stone houses of Phuldanda, Mina is greeted by an elderly relative, Gau Bahadur Biswakarma, who kneels on the ground and respectfully touches her feet with his head. Mina is overwhelmed by this gesture, and starts weeping uncontrollably, wiping tears with her red shawl. Being a <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/here-now/black-lives-matter-but-dalit-lives-dont/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Dalit</a> activist, Gau Bahadur had never got the chance to stand for election, and wanted to bless Mina and her campaign. The photo of Gau Bahadur touching Mina’s feet has been widely shared on Nepal’s social media, accompanied by many messages of support and best wishes for her candidacy. Says Mina: “I think he was happy that even though he never got the chance to stand for elections, that I did even though I am a woman from a <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/here-now/dalits-disasters-and-discrimination/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">poor Dalit family</a>. He touched my feet because it was these legs that have brought me so far.” Adapted from the <a href="https://www.himalkhabar.com/news/129614?fbclid=IwAR13phNZMwT_F5439D2FslLHIAuQKyPPOKUcvf5YmMNhEHB24B3npN0YxOk" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Nepali original</a> in <a href="https://www.himalkhabar.com" target="_blank" style="font-size: 15px; letter-spacing: 0.01em;" rel="noopener noreferrer">himalkahbar.com</a>

Anita Bhetwal

Baby on her back, Dalit mother on campaign trail

The monsoon has got bad press because Nepal’s tourism operators actively told visitors to avoid <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/opinion/managing-the-monsoon?%2F">the rainy season</a>. It is time to change that. The reason can be found right here in the vast alpine meadows of Central Nepal where this time of year you can walk on velvet grass of pastures abloom with delicate pink, red and yellow flowers as the mist rolls up the valley. There is no sound except the hum of bumble bees. &nbsp;&nbsp; There are dozens of places across high Nepal called Chaurikharka, which means yak pasture. But this particular Chaurikharka in Rukum East located at an altitude of 4,000m stands out for its serene beauty, rustic charm and bucolic setting. There is just the occasional chime of <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/here-now/when-yaks-go-so-does-culture">yak bells</a> in the distance, and the sharp whistle of herders corralling sheep. &nbsp;&nbsp; The grass shoots are so fragile that one hesitates to step on them, the rounded ridges appear and quickly vanish in waves of mist. With the<a href="https://nepalitimes.com/here-now/before-the-next-monsoon"> arrival of monsoon</a>, these meadows are a soothing shade of green dotted with millions of <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/review/the-anatomy-of-a-flower?%2F=">multi-coloured flowers</a>. Until very recently, it took a week or so to hike up to places like Chaurikharka, but with the expansion of the road network even to these far-flung mountains in the lap of Dhaulagiri, they are much more accessible. It is just a three-hour uphill from the Mid-Hill Highway on the border between Baglung and Rukum East.  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20250802130828_a0b06b494d751b2144ffbbf10894ea64b29e8aed844bc8c66171783abfaf4e16.jpg" data-media-id="editor_4" data-image-id="20250802130828_a0b06b494d751b2144ffbbf10894ea64b29e8aed844bc8c66171783abfaf4e16" data-rendition-name="original" width="2048" height="1365" loading="lazy" alt="Visit Nepal in the monsoon"> </figure>  Purists would say that such easy access devalues the sanctity of these remote high meadows, but it also means more people will be moved to treasure the experience, appreciate <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/banner/natures-fragile-gift-to-nepal">the value of nature </a>so they can take steps to protect it.&nbsp; To be sure, the <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/here-now/deadly-monsoon-in-nepal-turns-deadlier">monsoon season can be challenging for road travel</a>. The roads are rough even at the best of times, and in the monsoon they become muddy and treacherous, often blocked by<a href="https://nepalitimes.com/news/monsoon-deluge-in-nepal"> landslides</a>. But that could be precisely the kind of adventure that the more intrepid visitors crave. Improved road connectivity has already made Chaurikharka and places like Badimallika &nbsp;and other sacred lakes in the mountains of western Nepal popular with domestic tourists. What is driving this traffic is the urge to go to exotic new places and share videos and selfies on social media. Several of Nepal’s travel vloggers have visited Chaurikharka and popularised the place, enticing followers on TikTok or YouTube to retrace their footsteps. But even as they become more popular, these fragile and once-remote places should be protected from over-tourism.&nbsp;  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20250731110736_f97110b7cdc3e7f80d5877690948fc9f4c95a09c583deb23b07355491e6c5446.jpg" data-media-id="editor_8" data-image-id="20250731110736_f97110b7cdc3e7f80d5877690948fc9f4c95a09c583deb23b07355491e6c5446" data-rendition-name="original" width="1083" height="699" loading="lazy" alt="Visit Nepal in the monsoon NT"> </figure>  <h2>INCREASING FOOTFALL</h2> Chaurikharka is located in Bhume Rural Municipality of East Rukum, near the scenic valley of Dhorpatan in Baglung district. Even in the <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/banner/monsoon-culture">middle of the monsoon</a>, there is a steady stream of Nepali hikers trooping to these high pastures – especially during festival days like Saune Sankranti which this year was on 17 July and actually marks the auspicious beginning of the monsoon here. “This year the rains have not been as heavy and there have been some clear mornings when we could see everything from Dhaulagiri to Machapuchre,” says Khageswar Bhandari, who trekked up here from the road. “The flowers, the greenery and the snowy mountain views make this an incredibly unique place.”&nbsp;  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20250802130824_1b9e26f2e9853fdfe69154bb42a7c9ea6da4bf4940efc1da99b304dcfbd7d3d9.jpg" data-media-id="editor_10" data-image-id="20250802130824_1b9e26f2e9853fdfe69154bb42a7c9ea6da4bf4940efc1da99b304dcfbd7d3d9" data-rendition-name="original" width="2048" height="1152" loading="lazy" alt="Visit Nepal in the monsoon"> </figure>  Chaurikharka is worthwhile to get to in any season, but it has a different charm during the monsoon. Word has spread and because it is now easy to get to from Baglung or even Pokhara, people have been flocking here.&nbsp; “Holidays and Saturdays see the largest crowds, with up to 500 visitors every day,” says ward chair Mankaji Pun of Bhume.&nbsp; There was a time not too long ago when local herders brought sheep, goats, cows, buffaloes, horses, and mules to graze here during the monsoon. Although there are still livestock around, animals have been replaced by visitors taking selfies. Read also: <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/here-now/the-monsoon-and-nature-s-arithmetic">The monsoon, and nature’s arithmetic</a>, Tom Robertson Ward Chair Pun says infrastructure development is his main priority. A foot trail to Chaurikharka was built last year by the Tourism Division Office in Kohalpur, but access via the Raniwas-Koipa road section still remains challenging.&nbsp; “If we get more budget, we can improve the road and facilities to make Chaurikharka the main tourist attraction of this region,” says Bhume Municipality Chair Hom Prakash Shrestha. “After that, we hope to promote Chaurikharka as a top tourist spot.”&nbsp; Economic activity is also picking up with the arrival of visitors, but there seems to be a need to manage the makeshift sheds made of corrugated sheets that spoil the beauty of the place. Tea shops and lodges are also available but facilities are basic. Kuldeep Neupane took a three-day trip from Ghorahi in Dang to visit Chaurikharka recently, and says: “This is an ideal trip to make a quick getaway and let nature recharge your mind and body. And it is much more fun with a tent, to watch the sunrise over the Himalaya or the mist blowing in.”

Visit Nepal in the monsoon

The final investigation report on the crash of a Saurya Airlines jet on 24 July 2024 at Kathmandu airport has revealed flaws in the carrier’s technical operation procedures, poor monitoring by the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN) and gaps in the airport’s emergency response. Eighteen people including a child were killed, and only the captain survived as the plane plunged seconds after takeoff, crashing within the airport perimeter. This was the latest in a series of aircraft accidents in previous years, and further tarnished Nepal’s already poor aviation safety record and contributed to the country being retained in the EU’s air safety list. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; The circumstances in the Saurya crash were different from the Yeti Airlines crash in Pokhara in January 2022 that killed all 72 on board, and two Tara Air crashes in February 2016 and May 2022 on approach to Jomsom that together claimed 45 lives. However, all four tragedies were a result of negligence of carriers and crew, failure to follow procedures, regulatory slackness, and overconfidence. The Saurya crash, especially, was a glaring example of how an ailing airline broke its own rules to allow passengers, including non-employees, a joy ride to Pokhara on a maintenance ferry flight. CRASH REPORT The Final Investigation Report prepared by the Aircraft Accident Investigation Commission and released on the first anniversary of the crash last week carried a long list of rules that were ignored or broken, and of regulatory failure. The first mistake was to cram spares, tools and inflammable chemicals needed for the aircraft’s C-Check in Pokhara into the cargo hold flouting its own ground handling procedures.&nbsp; There was no check-in of passengers, some of whom were not even employees – even though regulations say only flight and maintenance crew should be on board a maintenance positioning flight. Many brought their own luggage into the plane and stored it unsecured in the cabin. There was no flight attendant to give a safety briefing to passengers. The load and trim charts given to the flight crew were rough estimates, and the total takeoff weight of the plane was 18,300kg plus or minus 200 kg. That would still have been all right, but there was a glaring mistake in the speedchart Saurya pilots were using to calculate the minimum takeoff speed (known as VR), and it had been wrong ever since the 21-year-old aircraft entered service with the airline in 2017. FAULTY DATA&nbsp; The Commission probed Flight Data Recorder inputs from previous takeoffs of the Canadian-built CRJ200-LR in 2023-2024 and found that the undetected error in the speedchart had caused the plane to pitch up at an abnormal rotation rate at least 18 times on previous takeoffs.&nbsp; Any rotation rate more than 3°/sec is regarded as unusual. But on at least two occasions, this aircraft with tail number 9N-AME had rotation rates of 5.8°/sec and 5.5°/sec, the second one was when the pilot who survived was flying in March 2024.&nbsp; On this particular day, the plane’s rotation rate was 6.5°/sec, causing it to go into a deep stall soon after takeoff, the Commission report said. Essentially, the plane was not flying fast enough down the runway to take off safely.&nbsp; It is not yet clear whether excess weight, unsecured luggage, wrong centre of gravity were also factors, but relying on a faulty speedchart for the given takeoff weight, the captain flying pulled back on the yoke before the plane had reached takeoff speed and at a pitch angle that was too steep. The investigation report says the plane then went into a deep stall and started banking right with the stick shaking. At this point, the flight officer on the right hand seat is heard on the cockpit voice recorder saying: “Whoa, whoa, whoa. Sir, Sir, Sir…” It then banked left before the pilot flying turned the plane sharply to the right again in an evasive action to avoid the parking aprons of the international and domestic terminals. Had he not done so, there would have been a disaster of a much greater magnitude at Kathmandu airport that day. The plane scraped the runway with its right wingtip, collided with a container having helicopter spare parts, and plunged into a gully east of the runway, exploding in a fireball. The investigation also noted that the impact forces seemed to be survivable for some occupants. The fire trucks took unnecessarily long to reach the site even though it was inside the airport perimeter. The absence of an ICAO-standard runway strip, inadequate rescue drills, lack of training, and a blocked emergency service gate leading to the crash site were cited as other factors. &nbsp;&nbsp; <h2>Timestamp of a Disaster</h2>  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20250731110724_39cdd04693994ce6e55a5b302905c0fa4884fe85bed21ff0779bb1439f3a5725.jpg" data-media-id="editor_0" data-image-id="20250731110724_39cdd04693994ce6e55a5b302905c0fa4884fe85bed21ff0779bb1439f3a5725" data-rendition-name="original" width="778" height="826" loading="lazy" alt="Flouting rules caused Saurya tragedy NT"> </figure>  11:10:34 - The Saurya Airlines CRJ200 on the takeoff roll from runway 02. It had a takeoff weight of about 18,300kg, but the pilot’s speedcard had a previously undetected mistake about the minimum takeoff speed. 11:10:55 -The plane with tail number 9N-AME goes into deep stall soon after takeoff because it does not have enough speed to lift its weight. The plane also has an abnormally steep nose-up attitude.&nbsp; 11:11:03 - Without enough speed to generate lift, the plane banks right, then left and right again in CCTV photos taken from the domestic apron (below). If it had not banked right, it could have hit the aprons and terminal buildings. Seen parked is Saurya’s other CRJ200 with tail number 9N-ANM.&nbsp;  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20250731110732_608132f7225c649125cca2691dd6a6bf930984c5b359e888d7ad9e5eacce3afd.jpg" data-media-id="editor_1" data-image-id="20250731110732_608132f7225c649125cca2691dd6a6bf930984c5b359e888d7ad9e5eacce3afd" data-rendition-name="original" width="770" height="555" loading="lazy" alt="Flouting rules caused Saurya tragedy NT"> </figure>  11:11:08 - The plane scrapes the runway with its right wingtip, and falls into the gully. The captain is thrown off the left side of the cockpit and survives. 11:11:15: Plane explodes in a fireball inside the airport perimeter. Firefighters take time to reach the site because of lack of access road and a blocked gate. Read the full investigation report <a href="https://www.tourism.gov.np/files/9N-AME%20AIC%20Final%20Report.pdf">here</a>.

Flouting rules caused Saurya tragedy

Two weeks ago, Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli announced jubilantly on social media that Nepal had achieved a historic annual growth of 81.8% in exports. He was right. Nepal’s trade did take a great leap forward compared to last year. But the dramatic rise was mainly due to processed soya bean oil.&nbsp; However, Nepal does not produce the edible oil it exports. In fact, the soya and palm oil that make up 44% of total exports are imported from Southeast Asia and South America, and simply re-exported, mostly to India.&nbsp; Under the SAFTA (South Asian Free Trade Area) Agreement, Nepal can export products to India duty-free if it has at least 30% value-added. Nepal’s traders have taken advantage of SAFTA even though the edible oils they export do not reach that value addition threshold. “The 30% value addition requirement is often only on paper,” says former commerce secretary Purushottam Ojha. “It is clear that simply packaging edible oils in Nepal does not fulfil the terms of the trade agreement.” Prime Minister Oli is aware of this, and even called Nepal’s export figures “fake” at an earlier event. The government is relying on other iffy figures to suggest that Nepal’s economy is strong and getting stronger. For example, the value of imports rose by 13.25% in 2024-25 compared to the previous fiscal year.&nbsp; Some of it was due to a jump in electric vehicle imports worth Rs 31.76 billion, but mostly it was because more wholesale soya oil was imported to be re-packaged and sold in India. The very fact that the government boasts about increased imports is an indication of how much it relies on taxing them for revenue. Touting such trade figures cannot be the basis to claim an economic rebound.&nbsp; “A jump in the value of imports can be interpreted as an increase in purchasing power, but it is not evidence of a stronger economy,” says economist Keshav Acharya. “Even though imports have increased, Nepal's domestic production and productive capacity have not improved.” Nepal Rastra Bank's semi-annual economic activity study report shows that industrial production was down in the first six months of the last fiscal year. This despite an increase in the number of new industries registered and investment commitments. Out of the Rs70.2 billion proposed foreign investment, Nepal received only Rs17.9 billion last year.&nbsp; Meanwhile, the rate of capital formation was limited to 24% last year, which is lower than the year before, suggesting that new investment, job creation and economic expansion all declined. If domestic production does not improve in relation to this year’s inflated trade figures, the outflow will put pressure on foreign exchange reserves like it did three years ago. At that time, Nepal borrowed from the IMF under its Extended Credit Facility Program to kickstart the economy.&nbsp;  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/2025080710084_2cdaaa5795828c4a7de93a0604ba884ef0a8b8f24cccd939f6c24e279ab6058f.jpg" data-media-id="editor_0" data-image-id="2025080710084_2cdaaa5795828c4a7de93a0604ba884ef0a8b8f24cccd939f6c24e279ab6058f" data-rendition-name="original" width="1633" height="723" loading="lazy" alt="Nepal's bubble economy NT"> <figcaption>Source: NEPAL RASTRA BANK</figcaption> </figure>  The macroeconomy is on firm footing with foreign exchange reserves at a comfortable Rs2,520 billion in May, up 23% from last year. This was largely due to remittances, and partly due to a falling NPR exchange rate. Real estate transactions and the stock market index have also been climbing as a result of government policies to revive the sector.&nbsp; However, former executive director of Nepal Rastra Bank Nar Bahadur Thapa cautions: “This is not organic growth, it is the result of deliberate policy decisions to relax rules on real estate and stock markets transactions.” In reality, the sharp rise in land prices have increased the cost of production, and excessive monetisation of the real estate has become the main source of Nepal’s economic woes. The central bank has announced a slew of new policies, shifting the terms of loan repayment for industrialists and entrepreneurs, reducing interest rates, and injecting more working capital — all designed to inject adrenaline into the real estate and stock market sectors.&nbsp; When he was governor, Mahaprasad Adhikari made several financial reforms during the latter half of his tenure to stimulate the economy, including tightening credit flow.&nbsp; By the last fiscal year, additional financial reforms had resulted in a credit expansion rate of around 8%. As the pace of credit expansion slows, real estate prices have started to fall. This is actually beneficial to the economy, because it lays the foundation for improvements in land-related entrepreneurship, production, and the construction sector. Just because real estate and the stock market transactions increase, it does not indicate an economic turnaround — especially when manufacturing and productive sector continues to languish.&nbsp; “It is foolish to believe that real estate and the stock market have magically revived our economy. Agriculture employs more than half of the population, but it is in decline. Investment in the productive sector has not increased, and job creation has not increased.” Two years ago, Nepal’s industrialists, business leaders, and political leadership predicted a recession amidst a sluggish business, declining market demand, large-scale job loss, and a shrinking real estate and share market.&nbsp; Still, the economy grew by 3.36% in fiscal year 2023/24. In fact, Nepal’s economy has grown nominally over the last two decades even when all sectors of the economy are in decline.&nbsp; Says Keshav Acharya: “The growth in trade, real estate, and the stock market are bubbles. The real economy remains stagnant.”

Nepal’s bubble economy

French citizen Louis arrived in Nepal for the first time earlier this year, planning to <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/banner/the-abcs-of-a-winter-trek-in-nepal">trek the Annapurna Circuit </a>before heading down to Bardia to hopefully catch a glimpse of some<a href="https://nepalitimes.com/news/nepal-counting-its-tigers"> tigers</a>. Before he began his journey from Besisahar, Louis (who only revealed his first name) had imagined breathing crisp mountain air, and following the melodious gurgle of the Marsyangdi.&nbsp; Instead, he had to breathe fumes and dust all the way to Chame. Louis says he masked his face with a handkerchief: “It was not what I expected, this is not right.”  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/2025080304080_f03fce1527cf8a63178e4e82589a1a7096c8cfa28893ca4a5f7fe82d91a6e38a.jpg" data-media-id="editor_2" data-image-id="2025080304080_f03fce1527cf8a63178e4e82589a1a7096c8cfa28893ca4a5f7fe82d91a6e38a" data-rendition-name="original" width="2419" height="1814" loading="lazy" alt="Manang trails NT 1"> </figure>  Many other trekkers are similarly disappointed as roads have been built along what used to be <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/banner/a-walk-back-in-time-chandragiri-hatiban">walking trails</a>. Manang and Humla are the last remote regions in the Himalaya to be connected to the national road network. &nbsp;Construction of the 87km Besisahar-Manang road began in 1994, but was stalled during <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/news/14-years-after-conflict-no-closure-in-nepal">the Maoist conflic</a>t, and finally finished in 2012.&nbsp; Most of it has not yet been blacktopped, and sections have been carved out of vertical cliff faces, making them treacherous. But it has allowed road access to Manang, a journey that previously took a week on foot.&nbsp;  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/2025080304084_32b3ca875a0df9f1dd42dbe915e6f6a2cd4f2e53f1cf2d3ee5cbdb3435905000.jpg" data-media-id="editor_5" data-image-id="2025080304084_32b3ca875a0df9f1dd42dbe915e6f6a2cd4f2e53f1cf2d3ee5cbdb3435905000" data-rendition-name="original" width="2400" height="1505" loading="lazy" alt="Manang trails NT 1"> </figure>  While the <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/opinion/the-road-out-of-nepal">road has improved access</a>, it has impacted on<a href="https://nepalitimes.com/here-now/trekking-in-the-time-of-climate-change"> trekking tourism </a>— the mainstay of Manang’s economy. The number of tourists visiting the scenic valley behind the Annapurnas grew from 21,245 in 2023 to 30,866 in 2024. The Annapurna Circuit is known for unique sights like <a href="https://archive.nepalitimes.com/news.php?id=9194">Tilicho</a>, one of the highest lakes in the world, the Thorong La pass that connects Manang to Mustang, and the valley’s own rich cultural heritage. Thorong La at 5,416m is the highest hiking pass in the world, and was used by locals for trade with Mustang before it became a <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/opinion/comment/lift-restrictions-on-upper-mustang">popular trekking route</a>. &nbsp; “For guests, the excitement of reaching Thorong La is now overshadowed by their disappointment of having to journey through dusty roads to get there,” says Manang lodge-owner Ongma Gurung. “That is the complaint we get the most.” <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/banner/tourism-that-treads-lightly-on-the-land">Local tourism </a>operators are trying to get the government to build alternative foot trails. But there have been delays due to a lack of budget.  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/2025080304084_c5f76e398182785bb17846a148e3ca89de5687b4623580f8e2d725a7a287edfa.jpg" data-media-id="editor_11" data-image-id="2025080304084_c5f76e398182785bb17846a148e3ca89de5687b4623580f8e2d725a7a287edfa" data-rendition-name="original" width="2419" height="1762" loading="lazy" alt="Manang trails"> </figure>  The Naso Rural Municipality has identified other routes along the Annapurna Circuit in Chyamche, Tal, and Khotro so trekkers can bypass heavy vehicles involved in the construction of the Manang-Marsyangdi Hydropower Project. “But the local government cannot do everything,” admits the chair Dhan Bahadur Gurung. “And for leaders in Kathmandu, Manang is out of sight and out of mind.” Munindra Jung Gurung represents Manang in the Gandaki Provincial Assembly, and says he has raised the issue in <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/news/pokhara-s-tourism-woes">Pokhara</a>. He is hopeful there will be a hearing. To be sure, the road is not all bad news. Locals benefit, the number of visitors has grown, and trekkers can now also save time and use it to explore <a href="https://archive.nepalitimes.com/news.php?id=5960">side valleys in Manang</a>, visiting the villages like Nar and Phu. Annapurna Conservation Area (ACA) chief Rabin Kadariya concedes that the road to Upper Manang was crucial to connect the remote region with the rest of Nepal, but adds: “We have built an alternative trail connecting Talgaun, and we will consult local communities about their priorities on other hiking trails.”&nbsp;

election-campaign

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Flouting rules caused Saurya tragedy

Nepal’s bubble economy

Trailing off in Manang